Cap handling machine



March 12, 1 935. F. E. MACY CAP HANDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1935. F. E. MACY CAP HANDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 12, 1935.

F. E. MACY CAP HANDLING MACHINE Filed Aug. '13, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

' Application August 13,

'- '10 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for handling paper caps such as used'in connection with milk bottles and more especially caps hav-' ing two diametrically opposed'tabs.

that the corresponding tabs on w'illbe properly alined.

a The present invention provides a means where by, caps of the type mentioned can be properly positioned for packaging or for admission to a capping mechanism.

Anotherobject is 'to' provide a machine of this character which is simple and durable in construction and will operate rapidly and efiiciently to produce the desired results. a

"With the foregoing and other'objects' in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists: of certain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. a

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of the machine. Figure 2 is an end elevation, the drive shaft being shown in section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3, Figure 1, caps being shown by broken lines in several positions on the feeding screws.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1. Figure 5 is'an enlargedsection on line 55,

Figure 1. a

Referring to the figures bycharacters of reference, 1- designates a rigid frame one end of all of the caps 3. At intermediate points the sides are connected by cross strips 4 and at the other end there are arms 5 extending from the sides and joined by a strip 6. I 7

Bearing in the cross members 2 and 3 are shafts '7 and 8 arranged in pairs, and secured to and rotatable with each of the shafts is a screw 9. The shafts of each pair are adapted to rotate simultaneously in opposite directions respectively and the threads of the screws are so pitched that, during this rotation, any articles engaged thereby will'be fedlongitudinally of the shafts.

By referring to Figure 1 it will be noted that the threads on one'screw'of each pair fit between the threads of a screw of the next adjoining'pair .'After the caps have been cut'difficultyhas. been experienced in properly positioning them so which is formed of spaced cross members 2 and- 1934,' 'Serial No. 739,711 (cr ess) and in order that'all of the screws may be rotated in the proper directions a train of gears 10 is carried by. thegseveral shafts. One of the shafts '7 isadapted to receive motion through gears 'll froma shaft 12 driven by any suitable power.

. Those'porjtions of the crossmember 3 between the shafts 7 and8 are cut away or recessed as shown at313 :and extending from this member 3 are pairs of oppositely disposed guide strips 14 which are transversely concave. These stripsare spaced apart at their lower edges to provide a slot 15 and, the two strips of each pair cooperate to form a guide channel extending from member 3 to the remote end of the machine and which channel is free of all obstructions. V

In order that the strips,4 and 6 may offer no obstruction to the movement of tabs depending through and slidable along the slots strips are cut away under the slots as 16in Figure 5.

' 15, these shown at The strips 14 are rigidly held by. the strips, 4Iand 6 and the bottom portions of these strips are cut away adjacent to-the member 3 so as to provide an enlargement of each slot 15. This enlargement has been indicated at 17 in Figurelx; I

Extending from the member 2 below the space between the screws of each pair is a supporting rod 18 which projects through the-recess or cut away portion 13 and into the enlarged portion l'l of the adjacentslot 15. Another rod '19 is arranged at one side of the rod 18 and also extends through the adjacent recess '13 and into the enlarged portion l'l of the, slot. Rod. 19 has its end portions parallel withrod 18 while an intermediate portion is offset obliquely as shown. Thus the free end portions oftherods 18 and 19 are closer together than theremaining portions and the space between them is adapted to substantially aline with the adjacent slot 15.

fingers 22 located under the bottom edges of the strips 14 and having their upper ends diverging from each other and secured to arcuate jarring plates 23.1Theseplatesbear against surfaces of; the strips 14.

the outer Pins 24 are extended upwardly'from bar 21 near the sides of frame .1 and springs 25 serve to connect these pins to those plates 23 nearest the sides of frame 1. Interposed between the, remaining plates are springs 26 joined thereto in any suitable manner. Secured to the member 3 are guide which extend laterally to points above one side of the recesses 13 and thence rearwardly over the adjacent screws 9.

By referring particularly to Figure 3 it will be noted that one screw 9 of each pair has a portion of its hub cut away at 28. This is for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The caps C having oppositely extending tabs 0 are adapted to be delivered promiscuously upon the screws 9 which are in constant rotation, one screw of each pair turning oppositely to the other screw of the same pair. If one of the tabs is lowermost when the cap is deposited on the screws it will drop downwardly between the rods 18 and 19 and the two screws, by engaging opposed portions of the cap will feed the cap longitudinally along these rods. the guide channels they will act to bring succeeding tabs into proper alinement so as to enter slot 15 as the caps are received in the channels formed by the strips 14.

Should a cap fall onto the screws in such a manner as to cause one of its tabs to engage the guide finger 2'7 as at the right in Figure 3, the other tab would be supported by the hub of the adjacent screw. Thus the cap would be held elevated while being fed forwardly by the screws until the right hand tab 0 at the right of Figure 3 is brought to position where the hub is cut away as at 28. At that time the rotating hub will ultimately provide suflicient clearance to enable the tab to swing downwardly past the hub sufiiciently to the lower position shown by broken lines at the right of Figure 3. After reaching this position the cap will travel along the screws until its lower tab ultimately slips off of its supporting rod 18 so as tobe properly guided into the adjacent slot 15.

If by any chance a cap should fall onto the screws with both of its tabs resting on the hubs of the screws, as shown by broken lines at the left of Figure 3, said cap will ultimately be released and guided in the same manner as heretofore described.

The rapidly reciprocating bar 21 sets up a light jarring action upon the strips 14 through plates 23 and fingers 16 and this action will be sufllcient to prevent the caps from becoming hung within the guide channels and allow them to be fed easily along said channels until delivered at their remote ends.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending 'tab on a supported cap, and means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other.

2. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws,

' means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, and means for guiding the lowermost tab into the slot in the guide channel during'the movement of the cap'into the channel under the action of the feed screws.

As the rods converge toward.

3. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, means for guiding the lowermost tab into the slot in the guide channel during the movement of the cap into the channel under the action of the feed screws, there being a recess in. one of the screws for releasing a tab if supported on the screws.

4. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positionng screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, means for guiding the lowermost tab into the slot in the guide channel during the movement of the cap into the channel under the action of the feed screws, there being a recess in one of the screws for releasing a tab if supported on the screws, and means for intermittently jarring the channel guide.

5. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions'respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being alongitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, means for guiding the lowermost tab into the slot in the guide channel during the movement of the cap into the channel under the action of the feed screws, there being a recess in one of the screws for releasing a tab if supported on the. screws, and means for intermittently jarring the channel guide, said means including a bar mounted for reciprocation, jarring members engaging the outer surfaces of the channel guide and resilient connections between said bar and members.

6. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, and means for jarring the guide channel intermittently.

'7. A machine for handling bottle caps having separate tabs including spaced feeding screws, means for rotating the screws in opposite directions respectively, a guide channel for receiving caps delivered thereto by the screws, there being a longtudnal slot in the bottom of the channel for the reception of a depending tab on a supported cap, means adjacent to the screws for positioning screw engaged caps with one tab below the other, means for jarring the guide channel intermittently, said means including a bar mounted for reciprocation, jarring elements contacting with the walls of the channel guide, and

resilient connections between said members and the bar.

8. The combination with a channel guide having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof for receiving the lowermost tab of a cap having separate tabs, said walls beng enlarged at one end, of converging supporting rods extending into the enlargement for guiding the lowermost tab of a cap into the slot, spaced feed screws above the rods rotatable in opposite directions respectively, and a guide finger overlying and extending longitudinally of one of the screws.

9. The combination with a channel guide having a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof for receiving the lowermost tab of a cap having separate tabs, said walls being enlarged at one end, of converging supporting rods extending into the enlargement for guiding the lowermost tab of a cap into the slot, spaced feed screws above the rods rotatable in opposite directions respectively, one of the screws having a hub with a cut away portion for the release of a tab if supported by the hub.

10. In a machine of the class described a channel guide having a longitudinal slot, feed screws for engagement by a plurality of caps each with separatetabs, said screws cooperating to direct the caps successively into the channel guide, and means cooperating with the screws for positioning the caps each with one of its tabs extending downwardly for movement intothe slot.

FOWLER E. MACY. 

